§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the average number of towed Rapier surface-to-air missile systems stationed on the mainland of Europe in 1987;
(2) what was the average number of tracked Rapier surface-to-air missile systems stationed on the mainland of Europe in 1987.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt is not our practice to disclose details of the numbers of such equipment. Both towed and tracked Rapier numbers are included in the total of 350 United Kingdom air defence systems given on page 16 of the NATO publication "Conventional Forces in Europe: The Facts", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. I refer the hon. Member to annexes B and C of volume one of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344-I) for more information on the location of our air defence forces.
§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what items have been included in the current development costs for Rapier field standard C that were not included in the original estimate of the development cost.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe items concerned reflect a wide variety of changes made to the Rapier field standard C development programme, in the period prior to incentiveness of the contract. A major change was the incorporation of a project contingency in the cost of estimates, other changes arose from the process of defining the requirement more closely.
§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the increase in development costs for the Rapier field standard C is due to(a) unforeseen technical problems and (b) the restricted funding of development.
§ Mr. SainsburyAs noted in the 47th report from the Public Accounts Committee on major defence projects, unforeseen technical problems and restricted funding of development together accounted for a 10 per cent. increase in development costs of Rapier field standard C between 1982 and 1986. Individually they accounted for 6 and 4 per cent. respectively.